


Guilt

by AyePatch



Series: AyePatch's Bumbleby Fics [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Cuz I'm planning on grouping and indexing my canon compliant stuff in a series, F/F, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Not my best work but it was my first time writing bees at the time, Splitting this off from my one shots fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:48:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28744260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AyePatch/pseuds/AyePatch
Summary: After watching Cardin bullying Velvet in the cafeteria, Blake takes some time to reflect.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Series: AyePatch's Bumbleby Fics [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2107353
Kudos: 47





	Guilt

**Author's Note:**

> Set during Volume 1, between Chapters 11 and 12

Blake was laying down on her bed, enjoying her free time between classes. Or, trying to, at least. The events during lunch kept replaying in her mind, watching as Cardin and his goons tortured poor Velvet.

It seemed that all of her friends had been on Velvet's side. Weiss had seemed neutral at best, but then, she barely counted Weiss as a friend, if at all. But were they _with_ Velvet, or just _against_ Cardin? None of them had stepped in to do anything, although admittedly Blake hadn't either, and they'd all merely expressed a disgust for bullying in general. None of them had acknowledged that this was racially motivated--that Cardin only did this because Velvet was a faunus. Well… except for one of them.

Blake's thoughts kept coming back to Yang, and her statement on the matter. "It must be hard to be a Faunus." Just a few words, but she'd managed to say so much with them. She was the only person there to acknowledge _why_ this happened. To pin the blame on Cardin being _racist_ , not just him being mean. The sad, almost _regretful_ tone with which she'd spoken. As if, with that single line, she was trying to apologize for the centuries of pain and suffering her race had inflicted upon the Faunus. _It's going to take more than that to undo centuries of oppression, Yang, but I'm glad you're trying to do your part. I'm… glad you're on my side._

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Aah!" Blake jumped out of her introspection to see Yang hanging upside-down from the top bunk, her golden hair dangling down towards the floor like a curtain. Her beaming smile quickly faded to a look of soft concern.

"Blake?" She asked, dropping down to the floor so that she was more level with her. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Blake sighed. "Just… thinking about what happened at lunch."

"With Velvet and Cardin? Yeah, I feel awful." She sat down next to Blake and hung her head. "Nobody should have to go through that. And I just…" Her hands balled into fists and her shoulders tensed. "Let it happen! I just sat there and _watched_ , when I should have stepped up and _done_ something to stop it! I mean, isn't that what being a Huntress is all about? Helping people in need? Not being a bystander?"

"Yang…" Blake said softly. "Don't be so hard on yourself. There was an entire cafeteria watching. There were others there who could have intervened." _Like me…_

"That doesn't make what _I_ did right," Yang replied firmly. "I can't control the other people in the cafeteria. I can only control myself. And _I_ should have stepped up."

"You seem to care about this a lot," Blake said.

"Should I _not_?!" Yang snapped back, eyes flashing red. 

Blake had never seen Yang direct genuine anger at her before. She felt herself tensing up, and she closed her eyes. _Breathe in. Hold it. Breathe out. It's okay. Yang isn't him. She wouldn't hurt me… I think? Breathe in. Hold it. Breathe out._ She opened her eyes to see Yang looking at her. Her expression had softened, and there was a clear concern in her eyes, but also a cautiousness that Blake knew she needed to address. "Of course you should, Yang," she said. She saw Yang's expression soften further. "It's just… not every day you see another human so concerned with the plight of the Faunus. I mean, look at Weiss. Or Cardin, for that matter."

Yang sighed. "Yeah. It's awful that there's still so many humans who just… don't care about the suffering of other people. And that's not even including the ones who willfully cause it." She looked up into Blake's eyes, and Blake could clearly see the regret in the lilac before her. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. That wasn't okay of me."

 _No, it's not your fault. I deserved it. I said something stupid, and I made you angry. It's my fault, and I deserve to get yelled at for it_. "No, it's my fault. I… I should have phrased that better." _Please don't hurt me._

"Blake," Yang said softly. She reached out and Blake instinctively flinched away, bracing herself for the inevitable strike.

"Blake?" Blake looked up obediently to see Yang sitting there respectfully. She'd pulled her hand away and set it down at her side, and the only expression Blake could see on her face was concern. "Do you want to talk about what's wrong?"

Blake shook her head, feeling a lump form in her throat and not trusting herself with words. _And now I've made you feel bad. Over something that's my fault. Gods, how awful of a friend am I?_ She felt herself losing her battle with tears, and fear began to grip at her heart. He hated when she cried. It made her weak. Undeserving of him. _But that's what I am. Weak. A coward. Pathetic. A burden._ She curled up on herself as she began to sob. _I can't be strong. I'll never be good enough for anybody. I was_ ** _lucky_** _that he put up with me._

"Blake," she heard Yang say, distantly. "Do you need a hug?"

 _Yes! Yes I need a hug! I need it so much!_ She shook her head. _But I don't deserve it. And I can't take what I don't deserve._

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Yang's voice sounded so far off. Almost inaudible. 

**_I can't do this anymore_**. Blake caved and threw herself against Yang, clinging to her like the desperate, needy, selfish girl he'd always said she was. Always taking things she didn't deserve, because she was too weak to survive without them. She felt strong arms wrap around her and hold her close. She hated being so vulnerable around someone she'd only just met. Taking so much from somebody that was far, far too good for her. Being so selfish. Being so needy. Being so weak. Her sobs must have been loud enough to hear from the hall, but she couldn't stop. She couldn't hold them in anymore. She felt herself being gently rocked from side to side, heard Yang's soft voice gently cooing at her. She wasn't sure what she was saying, but it was comforting. Reassuring. So much more than she deserved, but it felt so _good_. Blake couldn't make herself reject it.

 _Breathe in. Hold it. Breathe out. I'm okay._ _I'm safe._

 _Breathe in. Hold it. Breathe out. Yang is good to me._ _Too good._

_Breathe in. Hold it. Breathe out. I'm okay._

**Author's Note:**

> Please feel free to let me know what you think in the comments! Tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, and what you want to see! Your feedback is a big part of what keeps me motivated!


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